Train-signal



' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. PARSONS, OF SUSQUEHANNA DEPOT, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRAIN-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,679, dated April29, 1890.

Application filed January 22, 1890. $erial No. 337,756. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. PARSONS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Susquehanna Depot, in the county of Susquehanna and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement inTrain-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

Freight-trains are required to carry signals of difierent colors, whichare visible to the engineer of the same train, also to train-men ofother trains from both the front and rear of the train. The signalsdisplayed are not always the same color in front that they are in therear of the train. These signals are usually carried by the caboose andgenerally placed on top of the car high enough to be visible to theengineer of the same train. Red is a danger-signal, and is alwaysdisplayed at the rear of a train while in motion, as a warning tofollowing trains. The lamp in general use shows red in both directions,-although the signal green is used in various ways. A green signal meanscaution and a white signal clear or safety. The signal carried on therear of the caboose is a signal of danger, caution, or safety, carriedin front to inform the engineer that his train has not parted. It hasbeen fully demonstrated that a white light at night can be seen fartherthan any other color, especially in foggy weather, and it has been founddesirable for this reason to show white in front toward the engineer ofthe train, and at the same time show either red, green, or white in therear, accord ing to the position of the train. All trains are numberedand run as a single number in sections, extras, or specials. It is ofthe greatest importance that the number, section, and class of a trainbe shown, in order that train-men meeting or passing other trains may.be informed of the correct number or class of the train met or passed,as described in my patent, N0.14.s,s4.4., dated March 24, 1874., and asshown in my patent, No. 352,567, dated November 16, 1886. In the latterIshow signals for a similar purpose; but in that device I use three lampsat night to show the train number and signals.

My present invention has for its obj eat, the

placing of signals in a different manner in. an

indicator -box, so that the signals can be changed to the desired colorfrom the inside of a caboose and the signal device combined with mytrain-indicator, so that both signals and indicator may be illuminatedby one lamp, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings hereto annexed, forming part of this specification,Figure 1 is an outside perspective view of my combined indicator andsignal box attached to the end of an elevated deck of a caboose-car.Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal inside view of the box, showing themanner of operating the signals. Fig. 3 is a detached front view of theindicator and signal sash. Fig. 4 is a detached view of the signal-framefor carrying colored glasses to change the color of the signalsdisplayed. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the indicator and signalswhen made double and placed on top of a car, one side and end only beingshown. Fig. 6 is a cross-section view of the sash shown in Fig. 2.

The indicator-box may be made of any desired material; but a wood sashin front, to which are attached the indicator-characters and signal-lenswith metal covering over the top and ends, is preferable.

Fig. 1 represents my combined indicator and signal box secured to theelevated end of the deck of a caboose. A similar box is placed on theopposite end of the deck, exactly like the one represented, two beingnecessary in orderto display signals both toward the front and the rearend of the caboose-car. The end of the deck is cut away where the box isattached to it, leaving the box open on the inside and communicatingfreely with the inside of the car, through which a lamp is placed inposition to illuminate the signals and indicator atnight. This openingis covered by two small doors. (Not shown in the drawings.) made in theshape of a sash, of either wood or metal. The upper half is divided intofour or more parts, in which are displayed the train indicatorcharacters and numbers 2 2 2 2. This part of the sash is protected bycover 3, which is glazed with colorless glass 4, hinged at S 8 andfastened by catch 5. This cover or door is opened only. when necessaryto change the indicator-numbers.

The front of the indicator-box is r The lower part of the sash is madewith one opening, and is covered with sheet metal 1. In the center ofthe sheet-metal cover a circular opening is cut out, over which issecured in the ordinary manner a colorless-glass lens 9. The top andends of the box are covered with sheet metal and the bottom constructedof wood or sheet-iron. A small smoke-jack 6 is placed on the topdirectly over the lamp on the inside. The indicator, as shown in Fig. 1,would represent that it was train extra 237, the letter X standing forthe word extra.

The front side of the sash is shown more in 1 detail in Fig. 3. Theupper p artis constructed substantially as described in my patentheretofore mentioned,provided with white glass in the back of the sashand stencils in front placed over the glass plates except in this I makethe space between the first and second characters on the left wider thanthe others,

in order to separate the class from the number of the train, that theclass or section of the upper part and the back side of the lens 9 andsignal-frame in the lower part. The lower half of the sash is groovedthe same as in common sash. In this groove, secured by proper fastenings or clamps at the top and bottom, I place a signal-frame 10, which isprovided with colored glasses. Said signal-frame slides back and forthbefore the colorlessglass lens 9, thus changing the color of the light.This signal-frame is moved by the cords 17 and 18, running over pulleys16 16, which are secured at each end of the box, then through holesin-the bottom to the inside of the car. To the end of cord 18 isattached a light wood handle 19, and to the end of cord 17 is attached aheavy metal handle 20.

Fig. 6 represents a cross-section of the sash, the upper part showingthe position of the white glasses, over which are placed stencilplatesindicating the class and number of the train, the lower part theposition of the colorless lens 9 and signal-frame 10.

The signal-frame 10 (shown in detached View, Fig. 4) is made of sheetmetal, wood, or

other suitable material, or may be made of cast metal in one piece, withtwo openings 12 and 13. The center and end bars 22 22 22 are providedwith grooved metal strips closed at the bottom, in which to place andhold plates of colored glass.- The glass is put in at the top, as shownat 11. At each end of the and green.

frame are hooks 14 14, to which the ends of the cords 17 and 18 arefastened. The opening 12 is provided with red glass and the opening 13with green glass. When the color green is not desired, it is notnecessary to put any glass in the opening 13, as the lens 9 is white andgives the desired'color;

Referring to Fig. 2, the operation of the signal is as follows: Theopening 12 having red glass and opening 13 green glass, by pulling thesignal-frame to the left and securing the handle 19 to the hook 21, thesignal displayed through the lens 9 is green. By relieving the handle 19the weight of the heavy handle 20 instantly pulls the frame to theright, bringing the red glass 12 directly in front of the lens 9,displaying a red signal, By removing the green glass from opening '13,red and white signals are displayed instead of red The handle 20 is madeof cast metal and sufficiently heavy to keep the red glass constantly infront of the lens 9, except when secured by the hook 21. Rubber stops 1515 are provided at each end of the sashframe to prevent too sudden jarto the glasses in moving the signal-frame. The lamp is placed the properdistance from and directly in front of the lens 9. The same lamp bymeans of reflectors (not shown) illuminates both the indicator andsignal glasses.

Another improvement which I desire to describe and different from mypatents heretofore mentioned is that in the construction of theindicator-sash I make the mullion 23 nearly half as wide as thestencil-plates. This has been found necessary in order to separate asmuch as possible the class or section of the train from the number, sothat train-men may not misconstrue the class or section as a part of thenumber of the train.

When it is desired to place the indicator and signal box on top of acaboose-car, or if the caboose is not provided with a raised deck and itis desired to place the box higher up than the roof of the car, I makethe combined indicator and signal box substantially as shown in Fig. 5,both sides being made alike, and the box of sufficient width that onelamp answers for the signals in both directions, the lamp being placedin the box through the door 7. If the box is placed on top of acaboose-deck, the lamp may be put in from the inside of the car througha hole made for the purpose in the roof. The cords 17 and 18 may be runto any part of the car over pulleys properly arranged Where mostconvenient and varying with differently-constructed cars. hen a train isin motion, red is shown inthe rear of the caboose, and either red,green, or white in front toward the engineer of the same train. When thetrain is standing on a side track waiting for another train to pass, thered signal must be changed to either green or white. I I

By the use of above described improvement the signals in eitherdirection may be instantly changed from the inside of the ca parentsignal-glass in the opening 12 and with I 5 or without a signal-glass inthe opening 13, said signal-frame being shifted by cords 17 and 18 overpulleys 16 16 by light handle 19 and heavy handle 20, with theindicator-sash in the upper part of said box provided with glasses andremovable plates 2 2 2 2, substantially as described, and for thepurpose set forth.

JOHN H. PARSONS.

Witnesses CHAS. SABIN, O. F CURTIS.

